When he has looked at
that, he cannot be sorry he has come to Tlemcen; and if he has regrets,
Sidi Bou-Medine will take them away."
"Has Sidi Bou-Medine the power to cure all sorrows?" Stephen asked,
smiling.
"Indeed, yes. Why, Sidi Bou-Medine himself is one of the greatest
marabouts. You have but to take a pinch of earth from his tomb, and make
a wish upon it. Only one wish, but it is sure to be granted, whatever it
may be, if you keep the packet of earth afterwards, and wear it near
your heart."
"What a shame you never told me that before. The time I've wasted!"
exclaimed Nevill. "But I'll make up for it now. Thank Heaven I'm
superstitious."
They had forgotten Stephen, and laughing into each other's eyes, were
perfectly happy for the moment. Stephen was glad, yet he felt vaguely
resentful that they could forget the girl for whose sake the journey to
Tlemcen had ostensibly been undertaken. They were ready to squander
hours in a pretence of sightseeing, hours which might have been spent in
getting back to Algiers and so hastening on the expedition to Grand
Kabylia. How selfish people in love could be! And charming as Josette
Soubise was, it seemed strange to Stephen that she should stand for
perfection to a man who had seen Victoria Ray.
Nevill was imploring Josette to lunch with them, chaperoned by Madame de
Vaux, and Josette was firmly refusing. Then he begged that they might
leave money as a gift for the malema's scholars, and this offer she
accepted, only regretting that the young men could not be permitted to
give the _cadeau_ with their own hands.
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